No Grudge, Just Another Game: DK Metcalf Downplays Reunion with Seahawks

For the second straight week, a Pittsburgh Steelers star will face his former team. After quarterback Aaron Rodgers took on the New York Jets in Week 1, it's now wide receiver DK Metcalf's turn, as the Steelers host the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.

Despite the obvious narrative, Metcalf insists he's not looking at this as a grudge match.

"Y'all are going to make it a big deal," Metcalf told reporters this week. "I'm not. It's just another football game."

The Seahawks traded Metcalf and a sixth-round pick to the Steelers for a second- and seventh-round pick in March. Metcalf spent six seasons in Seattle, where he quickly became one of the NFL's most dynamic playmakers. The two-time Pro Bowler holds the fourth-most touchdown receptions in franchise history with 48, and he's surpassed 900 receiving yards in every season of his career.

While Metcalf is downplaying the emotional aspect of the reunion, his play on the field will do the talking. In his Steelers debut, he showed an immediate rapport with Rodgers, catching four passes for 83 yards, 73 of which came after the catch. However, Rodgers did not attempt a single deep pass (20+ air yards) in the game, a notable omission for a quarterback with a new deep-threat receiver.

According to Next Gen Stats, Metcalf ranks in the top five in the NFL in deep receiving yards and touchdowns since 2019, making him one of the league's most dangerous vertical threats. The matchup will be a fascinating one to watch, as the Seahawks' defense, led by veteran cornerback Shaquill Griffin, knows exactly what Metcalf is capable of.

"We're not sitting here just saying, 'We only want to game plan against DK,'" Griffin said. "We're going to make the plays that we need to make against him. But, also, man, we're getting ready to try to get back on track."

For the Seahawks, the game is a crucial opportunity to get their first win of the season. For Metcalf, it's a chance to prove his value to his new team and silence any doubters who might be reading into his trade. As he said, it's just another football game, but for fans and analysts, it's one of the most intriguing matchups of Week 2.